Habitat

Habronattus viridipes is found in multiple types of habitats from the urban sprawls of New York City to Appalachian forest and other woodland areas. Other types of habitat this spider has been observed in are cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) ecosystems, lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) fields, and prairies habitats. (Bardwell and Averill, 1996; Collins, et al., 1996; Coyle, 1981; Ehamann and Boyd, 1997)

Physical Description

Habronattus viridipes is a medium sized jumping spider with black and tan coloration. The thorax exhibits three bold black stripes with two bold tan stripes in between, running anterior to posterior. The abdomen exhibits three bold tan stripes, with two bold black lines in between, also running anterior to posterior. Legs are tan, speckled with small black spots. Females of this species tend to be larger, while males are more colorful. On average, H. viridipes is 3 to 17 mm in length. ("Statement of Need and Reasonableness", 2012)

Development

Mating takes place in the spring and summer. Shortly after, the eggs are laid. After they hatch in the summer, the young spiderlings remain with the mother for several molts. Most jumping spiders molt five or six times before becoming an adult. The young spiders reach independence after about a month and disperse. Growth varies depending on the amount of food the developing spider consumes. (Guarisco, et al., 2001)

Reproduction

Most males of the genus Habronattus perform elaborate courtship behaviors prior to mating. Females, even virgin females, are highly resistant to male courtship, which may indicate that there is a physiological "sweet spot" for females when it comes to mating in the Habronattus genus. Some courtship behaviors seen in the genus Habronattus include head bobbing, zigzag staggering motion, leg raising, palpi splaying, or no courtship at all. Other Habronattus jumping spiders have been observed producing vibrations to accompany their courtship displays. Males will mate with as many females as they can during their lives. Mating takes place during the spring and summer. (Elias, et al., 2005; Richmann and Cutler, 1998)

There is little known about the specific reproductive behavior of H. viridipes, but it is likely similar to other jumping spiders in the family Salticidae. Mating and reproduction occur in the spring and summer in the family Salticidae. Jumping spider females collect their eggs in egg sacs, and the female keeps the egg sacs with her, guarding them while they hatch and for some time after. Related jumping spiders have been known to produce 6 egg sacs per year, each following clutch with fewer eggs. Other males of the family Salticidae have been observed to mature 2 weeks before female spiders; at this point the male guards the female until she matures and is ready to mate. (Guarisco, et al., 2001)

In many members of the family Salticidae, the female spider will guard her eggs for one month from predators and parasites until the young spiders emerge from the egg sac. After the young spiders disperse, the female parent provides no further care. (Guarisco, et al., 2001)

Lifespan/Longevity

No lifespan has been described in the literature for H. viridipes, but generally jumping spiders do not survive in the wild longer than one year.

Typical lifespanStatus: wild

1 (high) years

Behavior

Jumping spiders have been shown in laboratory studies to learn and improve their hunting skills as they age. They learn to differentiate between types of prey through experience, as well as which prey items to avoid. Their visual acuity and ability to jump distances many times their size allows them to be efficient, effective predators. (Elias, et al., 2005)

Communication and Perception

Spiders have eight eyes, making vision one of their most important senses. Species of jumping spiders use their anterior median eye to detect movement, see shapes, and perceive color and depth. Visual cues are used to communicate during courtship, as the male does elaborate physical maneuvers while trying to attract the attention of the female. Males of some Habronattus spiders also produce seismic signals coordinated with the visual maneuvers during courtship. (Elias, et al., 2005; Guarisco, et al., 2001; Richman, 1981)

Predation

Jumping spiders in general have a broad range of predators including mammals, birds, lizards and other spiders. Some wasps prey heavily on jumping spiders. These wasps include muddaubers, organ-pipe muddaubers, and spider wasps. (Guarisco, et al., 2001)

Ecosystem Roles

Habronattus viridipes is an important link in the food web. This jumping spider consumes smaller insects and other spiders, while it is consumed by larger organisms like mammals, lizards, birds, and other spiders and large insects.

The family Salticidae have both internal and external parasites. Internal parasites including nematode worms or acrocerid fly larvae. These internal parasites feed on the their host, but a majority of individuals die before emergence from the spider. External parasites include species of the family Mantispidae, that attach to a jumping spider and feed on blood. To complete its life cycle, the mantis-fly has to burrow itself into an egg sac of a female, meaning that mantis-fly species are both ectoparasites and eggsac parasites. (Guarisco, et al., 2001)

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

There are no known positive effects of Habronattus viridipes on humans.

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

There are no known adverse effects of Habronattus viridipes on humans.

Conservation Status

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has designated Habronattus viridipes as a species of special concern. Little research has been done on Habronattus viridipes and may be overlooked as a species. Only the MNDNR has designated this spider as special concern, as it feels that H. viridipes has been observed only in habitats that are rare and subject to habitat destruction. Other state and federal agencies have not acknowledged this spider as endangered, threatened, or of special concern. ("Statement of Need and Reasonableness", 2012; Ehamann and Boyd, 1997)

Contributors

Glossary

Nearctic

living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico.

acoustic

uses sound to communicate

agricultural

living in landscapes dominated by human agriculture.

bilateral symmetry

having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.

carnivore

an animal that mainly eats meat

chemical

uses smells or other chemicals to communicate

diurnal

active during the day, 2. lasting for one day.

ectothermic

animals which must use heat acquired from the environment and behavioral adaptations to regulate body temperature

female parental care

parental care is carried out by females

fertilization

union of egg and spermatozoan

forest

forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality.

heterothermic

having a body temperature that fluctuates with that of the immediate environment; having no mechanism or a poorly developed mechanism for regulating internal body temperature.

insectivore

An animal that eats mainly insects or spiders.

internal fertilization

fertilization takes place within the female's body

metamorphosis

A large change in the shape or structure of an animal that happens as the animal grows. In insects, "incomplete metamorphosis" is when young animals are similar to adults and change gradually into the adult form, and "complete metamorphosis" is when there is a profound change between larval and adult forms. Butterflies have complete metamorphosis, grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis.

motile

having the capacity to move from one place to another.

native range

the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.

oviparous

reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.

polygynous

having more than one female as a mate at one time

polymorphic

"many forms." A species is polymorphic if its individuals can be divided into two or more easily recognized groups, based on structure, color, or other similar characteristics. The term only applies when the distinct groups can be found in the same area; graded or clinal variation throughout the range of a species (e.g. a north-to-south decrease in size) is not polymorphism. Polymorphic characteristics may be inherited because the differences have a genetic basis, or they may be the result of environmental influences. We do not consider sexual differences (i.e. sexual dimorphism), seasonal changes (e.g. change in fur color), or age-related changes to be polymorphic.
Polymorphism in a local population can be an adaptation to prevent density-dependent predation, where predators preferentially prey on the most common morph.

seasonal breeding

breeding is confined to a particular season

sedentary

remains in the same area

sexual

reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female

suburban

living in residential areas on the outskirts of large cities or towns.

tactile

uses touch to communicate

temperate

that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle).

terrestrial

Living on the ground.

tropical savanna and grassland

A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia.

savanna

A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.

temperate grassland

A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5° N or S latitude). Vegetation is made up mostly of grasses, the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands.

tundra

A terrestrial biome with low, shrubby or mat-like vegetation found at extremely high latitudes or elevations, near the limit of plant growth. Soils usually subject to permafrost. Plant diversity is typically low and the growing season is short.

urban

living in cities and large towns, landscapes dominated by human structures and activity.

vibrations

movements of a hard surface that are produced by animals as signals to others

Disclaimer:
The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.

This material is based upon work supported by the
National Science Foundation
Grants DRL 0089283, DRL 0628151, DUE 0633095, DRL 0918590, and DUE 1122742. Additional support has come from the Marisla Foundation, UM College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Museum of Zoology, and Information and Technology Services.